How do I know If my house has aluminum wiring?
More importantly, if it does, is it a concern? The reality is most homes have some aluminum wiring. Most frequently it is a larger, multi-stranded type, and of an alloy with very little expansion coefficient. If installed correctly and checked periodically, this type is not an issue at all.
Where aluminum becomes a problem is in houses built between the mid 1960's and the late 1970's. Many homes in this era have smaller solid aluminum wire feeding the circuits that run throughout your home due to high copper prices at the time these homes were constructed. This poses a problem because heat from the circuit load causes a lot of expansion and contraction of the metal, loosening the connections. Poor connections create large amounts of heat and, ultimately, fire.
Where aluminum becomes a problem is in houses built between the mid 1960's and the late 1970's. Many homes in this era have smaller solid aluminum wire feeding the circuits that run throughout your home due to high copper prices at the time these homes were constructed. This poses a problem because heat from the circuit load causes a lot of expansion and contraction of the metal, loosening the connections. Poor connections create large amounts of heat and, ultimately, fire.
Modern Aluminum Feeder
(By code only #6 and larger)
|
Plugs Melted By Heat From Aluminum Wiring
|
Aluminum and Copper Wire of the Same Ampacity
|
If your home has the wiring from the 1960's or 1970's, or if your home was built in this era and you think it may have aluminum wiring, it is best to have it checked out to be sure. It takes very little time and will give a lot of peace of mind. If it turns out you have do aluminum wiring, there are two solutions.
First, in the few areas where it is practical, the circuits can easily be re-wired. In most areas though, this is not an option. For these areas, we add a copper jumper to the ends of all the wires. To connect the copper to the aluminum we use a UL listed connector containing unit oxidation paste. This creates a permanent connection that is designed specifically for connection of copper to aluminum. Once this procedure is performed, the circuit will act just like a copper circuit and require virtually no further maintenance.
First, in the few areas where it is practical, the circuits can easily be re-wired. In most areas though, this is not an option. For these areas, we add a copper jumper to the ends of all the wires. To connect the copper to the aluminum we use a UL listed connector containing unit oxidation paste. This creates a permanent connection that is designed specifically for connection of copper to aluminum. Once this procedure is performed, the circuit will act just like a copper circuit and require virtually no further maintenance.
(210) 727-3700
